Is Atomic Cafe dead???

[NurgleHH]

I think there won't be released more stuff from brigade, Op5 did no new rules for the last gangs. Is the game dead???

It is very sad, becase the idea and the stuff from brigade is cool and hot, but I think it is too special for the gamers...

[Arlequín]

As long as people are playing it, the rules and figures available, then it isn't dead.

Having said that I think that it missed the mark for many people, whatever that mark was.

I'm very keen to play a fifties-sixties pulp/PA game and I bought the 'straight' figures and zombies for that, but not the other stuff, like 'Supa Dupa Man'. I'd be happy to buy more ordinary civilians, but the bowlers and roller derby girls are not much use to me.

I can understand why a range isn't expanded if the initial releases don't sell well, but by the same token it's rough on the people who bought into it. It's not like I can source other figures of the same era, these were the only ones.

 

[v_lazy_dragon]

The initial releases, and setting, all hit the mark absolutely spot on... wven the bowlers worked (having seen 6 string samurai)... but I found the support was too slow and some of the wackier later releases just didn't quite capture my interest. The roller Derby girls, moosketeers & Hill billies with psychic space chimp were ok; not the most versatile but not too bad. Supa Dupa man & the kit cat club just didn't work for me.

I think a lot of people were hoping for Fallout, without the lasers and powered armour (which could be sourced from various exisitng Sci-Fi/WWW2 ranges if fancied), but thats not who the game panned out. I've ended up selling all my stuff; due to the difficulty of expanding the exisitng ranges further....

[NurgleHH]

I'm sorry, but I never hoped for a Fallout-clone without something. I hope, even now, that there will be new releases and rul-updates. But even here in this brilliant forum no new rules is discussed. So I still wait for the soviets and the bandockers with the Ape. So I think it does not sell enough, because the guy from brigade also needs the money for doing new stuff, and when the stuff not sells he cannot do new stuff...

[Arlequín]

Likewise, I wasn't after power armour and lasers (okay maybe some robots), but more a 50's-60's sci-fi film feel, what you might call 'Atom Punk' if I didn't dislike the term so much. Panic in Year Zero (1962) meets Invasion USA (1952) meets Forbidden Planet (1956) et al, would have suited me fine.

[Hildred Castaigne]

For armed civilians the new sets Brigade brought out for the Mob Wars seem perfectly usable, styles of dress didn't really change dramatically. But for a bit of 1950s flavour Atomic Cafe still provides, with Greasers and secret service men (who can pass off as all sorts, from government agents to gangster types).
It seems versatility was not a priority for the figures, they seem very specific to the Atomic Cafe rules.
Now, if somebody was to bring out more 1950s US army (with a flak jackets and Ridgeway caps in the mix perhaps) I don't think I'd object at all. Quite the opposite in fact! 

[Arlequín]

I've been after 50s US Army figures for ages. I'm not fussed about flak jackets, but Ridgeway caps are a must!

Women's clothing changed dramatically and men's clothing enough for your gangsters to be all 'old timers' by the cut of their suits. Tommy guns with drum mags would also be archaic. Casual clothing was more common and different to the 20s too.

To be honest, if some of the more 'off the wall' suggestions that have been made were excluded, it wouldn't take much to satisfyingly cap this range off for me. More is better obviously. 

[6milPhil]

I don't play the game, but the figures are useful for other games. This is SupaDupaMan as Super Fascist, complete with his mum's curtains for a cloak.

If I didn't have such a pewter alps I'd have bought more...

With any range they really do need to turn a profit on the original releases before they can afford more, and given the quality I think that's worth waiting for.

[AKULA]

Is the game dead???

On the basis, that the figures are still for sale, and people still play the games, i'd say "No".

 

With any range they really do need to turn a profit on the original releases before they can afford more, and given the quality I think that's worth waiting for.

Well put, Phil.  Any project is a significant financial outlay, for a miniatures company, in terms of commissions, production (even if casting yourself, there are still metal costs).

Atomic Cafe is a bold idea, and many of the figures will be used for projects other than those originally intended.  I daresay, that some packs have sold better than others, effectively subsidizing them, but that it may be some time before the AC57 project breakseven for its originators (if it has already, then I applaud Lon, having as I do, an idea of some of the costs entailed).

[NurgleHH]

Atomic Cafe is a bold idea, and many of the figures will be used for projects other than those originally intended. 

I think the figures are really special, not really useable for many things. And I'm afraid, that not many players like this stuff...

[brigadegames]

No not dead. Rich and some of his friends still run games at several conventions here.

I always thought the Soviets would go over fairly well considering the call for more "troop" types.

Unfortunately we have't sold anywhere near what we need to keep reinvesting on a regular basis.

Rich and I have some ideas kicking around on additions for some time. I would love to add to the range but the investment can be perilous.
With the LA miniatures hitting the scene some of those concepts Rich and I had have been realized in miniature form so I wouldn't go and create new versions as I doubt I would sell many.

I am willing to expand the range. I just need to figure out what is needed and what would sell. Clearly not an easy thing to do.
What makes it harder is that other than the zombies, packs are one offs - meaning most customers buy one, which then requires more to buy to get to break-even.
My original intent was to keep progressing through the aftermath of the apocalypse as civilization and infrastructure continued to collapse. The evolution of the units in the game would reflect this in appearance and skills development or degradation.

Additionally, one of the things I always wanted to have done was a range of vehicles and associates drivers etc. That would have expanded some more possibilities for the range. But finding a sculptor to do that at a reasonable rate and a good quality product and then will meet deadlines is not easy.

Lon

[brigadegames]

Another note -

While some liked all the units, there are others that for example loved one unit and didn't like the next. When doing a range like this it is quite hard to make everyone happy. And the people that are vocal don't always support this type of niche range. Considering the number of people on LA, it shouldn't be that hard to break even on packs but sometimes it is.

[Arlequín]

All Lon said...

I can't argue with any of that, nor would I want to.  

I agree, there are packs which I haven't bought and of the ones I have, they have been one pack buys so far. I loved the Soviets and the FDF and would consider buying more packs of these, but how many characters/officers do you need alongside your 'line' figures? Head swaps would be the way to go for me to get round some of this, quite achievable for the Soviets, not so much for the FDF, so perhaps a head sprue is in order?

I've been thinking of what I'd do if it was my range in an ideal world and what my next releases might be. I was thinking maybe three packs, then it was four, then five... Maybe you could consider suggestions alongside a poll, or even something along the lines of Eureka's '100 club'? I'd happily commit to that and hopefully I wouldn't be on my own.

I'm really pleased this hasn't gone the way of the Dodo and I like the idea of following the story through past the initial event. Personally I'd say that widening the scope of the figure range to encompass 50's/60's Sci-Fi in general (even not-Fallout to a degree perhaps?) might be the way I'd go, but it costs me nothing if I'm wrong, bit of a different story for you. I really hope some more people get the bug for this and it's just a slow starter.

I'd offer to get mine painted up and tout them round, but I suppose you want good publicity?  

Additionally, one of the things I always wanted to have done was a range of vehicles and associates drivers etc. That would have expanded some more possibilities for the range. But finding a sculptor to do that at a reasonable rate and a good quality product and then will meet deadlines is not easy.

M38 Jeep, M37 Truck, M59 APC, M20 Bazooka Team... just saying... 

[wellender]

I loved the Monster movie style guys.  I picked that pack up.  I also have the Kit Kat Club, Boondockers, and Mooseketeers.  There are a few others I want too, like the Bowlers and Greasers.  One thing I would like is if they were available individually.  I could use some more Mooseketeers or Kit Kat girls, but I don't need the whole pack.  Maybe a set or an individual figure that is customizable.

[NurgleHH]

I'm with you, Lon. You need enough sells to go further. But you won't sell the new stuff, when there are no rules. For the soviets and the Hillbillies/Ape there are no rules or ideas. Maybe you can work on this problem...